Raleigh looked at the fence the older kids had just jumped so easily. They must’ve done this a thousand times, he thought to himself. How am I supposed to keep up? He looked up at the chain links that had certainly claimed years of seams and skin.
Amanda looked back at him through the fence and smiled. “Come on, Raleigh! It’s not as high as it looks!” She was almost a full year older than him and half a head taller.
She was beautiful. A girl like that was worth risking a few scrapes for.
Well, here goes. He grabbed the fence with his thin piano-playing fingers and used the post and its metal ties as toeholds. It surprised him how much the metal dug into his hands immediately. Maybe that’s why they went so fast.
He climbed, his arms protesting against holding his weight. Finally, he reached the top and was able to awkwardly lift one leg over the serrated edge. He teetered there for a moment, painfully aware of his precarious height and the metal that was still digging into his soft, uncalloused hands.
He took a breath, closed his eyes, and flopped off the fence landing unceremoniously in a bush. At least it caught my fall.
Matthew snorted at the poor landing but didn’t say anything else, thankfully. He had been the most vocal about not wanting Raleigh to come, but Amanda had convinced them all to let him.
There were five youths on this escapade: Raleigh, Amanda, Matthew, Becky, and Simon, and they were trespassing. Something Raleigh would’ve never done before starting high school. But then starting high school after years of homeschooling necessitated some adjustments.
He was mostly just happy to have been invited.
Raleigh looked both ways, brushing off the dead leaves of a long-forgotten shrub. Then he rushed to catch up to the other four.
“Hey Simon, are you taking us to the same spot as last time?” Becky asked. “I really loved the view up there…”
“You just liked holding Simon’s hand,” Matthew said making smooching noises. Becky turned around and stuck her tongue out. Simon ignored them both.
“No, there’s this new place…” Simon trailed off as he looked up at the darkening sky. It would be pitch black in a few minutes with nothing but the stars above to light their way. But that was the point. Raleigh shivered anyway, thinking of what animals or hoodlums might be lurking in the government-protected property at that very moment. I guess we’re the hoodlums…
Amanda slowed a bit from where she was walking with Michael to match step with Raleigh. “So… what do you think?” She pointed around at the old trees they were passing through. Raleigh had to swallow the lump that appeared in his throat every time Amanda talked to him… or was even near him.
“Uh, it’s cool.” He looked around at the ominous wood like he was at one of the exhibits his mother used to take him to on field trips. Amanda just laughed.
They walked for a while without saying anything. Finally Matthew broke the silence again, almost as if it were his responsibility.
“Simon, do you even know where you’re leading us? I’ve got homework.”
Becky snorted. “You wouldn’t have homework if you just did it in class instead of talking the whole time.” Matthew stuck out his tongue in a perfect imitation of her recent expression.
“Yes. I do.” Was all Simon said. Then he took out a flashlight and switched it on.
The last of the dying light fell away from the path with eerie swiftness and suddenly the only thing visible was Simon’s small circle of light ahead of them. He led them on without any of them saying anything more.
The only exciting thing that happened on the dark stroll was when an owl hooted beside the path and made Becky shriek. Everyone laughed nervously except Simon; he had a faraway look in his eye. He never rushed them, but he seemed driven to get to this new ‘spot’ of his.
After what felt like a whole hour of walking they came upon a clearing… only it wasn’t a natural clearing. It appeared to be some form of impact crater.
“We’re… here.” Simon said, his eyes reflecting the flashlight’s light dully.
“How did you find this!” Matthew asked in awe.
“And why are you being so creepy?” Amanda added. Raleigh nodded in agreement, but Simon ignored them all and started walking down into the crater. Raleigh looked at Amanda and shrugged and started to follow Simon.
Amanda reached out and grabbed Raleigh’s arm. “Wait!” She whispered harshly. “We don’t know what’s down there!” She let go of his arm, looking scared. Somehow that made her look even cuter.
Raleigh sucked in a breath, puffing out his thin chest and let out the subconscious fear he was harboring with his exhale. Then he stuck out his hand to her, projecting confidence and secretly hoping he hadn’t made the worst decision of his life.
Surprisingly, she took his hand with both of hers. He had never been this close to her; it took a second for him to remember why they were holding hands in the first place, but Matthew trudging down after Becky awoke him from his stupor.
“I, uh, guess we should head down?” Raleigh asked, thinking how nice it would be to stay up at the top with just he and Amanda…
“Yeah, I guess we should,” Amanda said. Raleigh barely suppressed a sigh, then the two of them walked down the sloping, ragged earth. Raleigh pulled out his phone as a flashlight since Simon’s was so far ahead.
“I wonder what did this?” She asked.
Raleigh shrugged. “Dunno; maybe an asteroid?”
She shrugged back and they kept walking.
Right as the ground leveled-out they saw the silhouettes of Matthew, Becky and Simon ahead, surrounded by a cool blue, pulsing light. They walked cautiously forward, their hands still clasped together.
Joining the other three, they saw a strange device hovering at eye level above the ground. It radiated the cool light and shimmered whenever the air moved around it. It made no sound, but the beams of light seemed to give off a faint hum in harmonious chords as they moved their hands through them.
“What is it..?” Becky asked quietly. Matthew for once was dumbfounded. “Is it an alien?” Becky continued.
Simon still had that distant but dedicated expression. “I think it wants us to touch it…” Simon raised his hand out in front of him, but before he could do anything more, Raleigh shouted.
“Don’t touch it!” The sudden shout startled everyone out of their reveries. They turned to look at him. “Don’t touch it,” he said again in a quieter voice. The device pulsed in what felt like an inquisitive way and the four youths all tilted their heads at once. Raleigh felt a blush coming on at the attention, so he squinted into the light instead of looking at any of them.
“I’ve seen a million movies that start like this… a group of kids like us find a secret amulet of magic, or something; then they touch it and they get these crazy powers. And then they have to defend the world from giant monsters or evil aliens. All while somehow keeping it a secret from the cops and their parents, and while trying to keep up with their schoolwork.”
Michael finally broke his own silence. “Magic powers would be sweet!“
Raleigh answered back. “But that responsibility is crazy! Saving the world? I can barely save for college!” Becky giggled then covered her mouth after a glance at the still hovering device.
Raleigh continued: “I don’t know if I’ll ever be ready for something like that, but I’m definitely not now.” Matthew nodded, obviously contemplating what Raleigh had said.
Simon spoke, looking himself for the first time in hours. “Honestly, I can’t help but agree with the guy.”
Becky nodded, mostly just looking at Simon. Only Amanda was left looking unconvinced.
“Well, doesn’t someone have to accept the responsibility..?” She looked around at the others. “Why not us?” She took her hand out of Raleigh’s. He felt its loss like a punch in the gut.
She crossed her arms across her chest and stuck her hip out in mild defiance. “We found it, didn’t we?”
Raleigh sighed but continued, painfully aware of all four sets of older and cooler eyes directed at him. “I don’t think it couldn’t be us… I just don’t think we should dive into something that, for all we know, could be what causes the aliens or monsters or whatever to attack Earth.”
Amanda squinted at him, about to respond, but Matthew interrupted before she could.
“And ‘for all we know,’ maybe we wouldn’t even get powers… maybe the radiation would just give us cancer, or something.”
Becky’s mouth dropped at the uncharacteristically wise comment from Matthew. Raleigh was happy that Matthew had his back for once.
Amanda stood there with her arms still folded, but she was nodding slowly. Then she lowered her arms, walked over to Raleigh, and gave him a little kiss on the cheek.
The blush that he was trying to fight off surged in full force.
Simon spoke: “Is that why you insisted on bringing him along?”
Amanda shrugged, putting her hand behind her to take Raleigh’s while still looking at Simon. “I just thought he might be fun to have along.” She looked back at the still blushing Raleigh, then turned to Simon again. “Well… maybe.” Becky giggled and took Simon’s hand in hers.
Matthew looked between the two couples. “Great. Now I’m the fifth wheel.” The others laughed.
Raleigh spoke, starting to feel more comfortable around his new friends. “So… do you want to show me your regular spot?” They all laughed again and Simon took the lead in hiking back up the crumbly slope.
***
They spent a couple of hours watching the stars, though Raleigh could barely take his eyes off Amanda the whole time.
Eventually, they gave into Matthew’s whining about his homework, and they headed back to town.
Back in the crater, the device hovered in the same spot, pulsing in something akin to bemusement.
…Well, that’s never happened before.
Then it dimmed its lights and descended to the ground, preparing to await their return.
To be continued…